Window coverings, such as curtains, shades, blinds, etc., are frequently used to provide privacy and to limit the amount of light that is permitted to pass through a window and into a building or room.
There are numerous types of window coverings known in the art. Of particular interest to this application is a unique type of drapery device known as a rotating rod drapery apparatus manufactured by QMotion Advanced Shading Systems having an address of 3400 Copter Road, Pensacola, Fla. 32514. These rotating rod drapery systems are the subject of a plurality of U.S. patent applications, all of which are fully incorporated herein by reference, including U.S. application Ser. No. 13/842,586, filing date Mar. 15, 2013, publication date Mar. 20, 2014, entitled “Drapery tube incorporating batteries within the drapery tube, with a stop for facilitating the loading and unloading of the batteries;” U.S. application Ser. No. 13/841,732, filing date Mar. 15, 2013, publication date Mar. 20, 2014, entitled “Method and apparatus for cutting one or more grooves in a cylindrical element;” U.S. application Ser. No. 14/029,210, filing date Sep. 17, 2013, publication date Mar. 20, 2014, entitled “Rotatable drive element for moving a window covering;” U.S. application Ser. No. 13/843,617, filing date Mar. 15, 2013, publication date Mar. 20, 2014, entitled “Method and apparatus for linked horizontal drapery panels having varying characteristics to be moved independently by a common drive system;” among others, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
These rotating rod drapery systems operate by rotating a rod having one, or a pair of left hand twist helical grooves positioned on opposite sides of the rod from one another, and one or a pair of right hand twist helical grooves positioned on opposite sides of the rod from one another, where the left hand twist and right hand twist helical grooves cross one another in equal spaced alignment across the length of the rotating rod.
These drapery systems include a plurality of idler rings positioned around the drapery rod, and at least one driver ring. The idler rings have a smooth interior surface that are unaffected by the rotating drapery rod and its helical guide structures. In contrast, the driver rings include at least one tooth that engages a helical groove of the rotating rod. As the rotating rod is rotated, the driver ring is driven across the length of the rotating rod, thereby opening and closing the shade material hung on the idler rings and the driver rings.
In these prior drapery systems, the driver ring was positioned as the inward most or the second inward most ring. Positing the driver ring in this manner allowed the rotating rod to open and close the drapery. While this arrangement worked for some applications, problems remained.
Namely, as the driver ring was driven across the length of the rotating rod, the driver ring had a tendency to tilt out of perpendicular alignment with the rotating rod. This increased the friction between the rotating rod and the driver ring which had the tendency to catch or hang-up on the rotating rod and when this occurred the driver ring would wrap around the rotating rod, which could have catastrophic effects.
Another substantial disadvantage to this arrangement was that the closer the dimensions are controlled between the teeth of the driver ring the more the driver ring could be prevented from tilting on the rotating rod. However, the tighter the tolerances between the teeth of the driver ring and the groove of the helical guide structure the greater the potential for the teeth to get hung-up or catch on an aberration in the surface of the rotating rod or an aberration in the groove. This is especially true at an interface where a right-hand-twist helical groove crosses a left-hand-twist helical groove. As such, using a only a single driver ring presented great challenges because only a single aberration in the surface of the entire drapery rod or helical groove could cause the device to fail.
In addition, when there is only a single driver ring, it only takes a single driver ring to get off track. As such, it was discovered that a single driver ring was not as robust a design as it could be.
Also, it was found that having a single driver ring positioned as the inward most ring or the second inward most ring, on a center closing drapery system often left a light gap at the center of the system. This is because overlap of the two opposing drapes was hard or impossible to accomplish. This is because, if the drapery was extended past the inside edge of the driver ring this would cause the driver ring to tilt. This tilting was aesthetically displeasing as the inward most ring would appear out of alignment with the other idler rings. In addition, as discussed above, the more the driver ring tilts, the more likely it is that the driver ring will catch on or hang-up on the rotating drapery rod.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification, there is a need in the art for an improved driver for a drapery system.
Thus, it is a primary object of the invention to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that improves upon the state of the art.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that reduces the light gap between drapes.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that improves the overlap between opposing drapes.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that provides smoother opening and closing.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that provides better alignment for the driver rings.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that reduces the potential for catastrophic events.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that allows for the use of an overlap bracket.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that is adjustable.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that is easy to use.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that is durable.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that has an intuitive design.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that has a minimum number of parts.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that has a long useful life.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that provides a convenient mounting place for an activating device.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that allows the inner edge of a drapery panel to be extended inward from a driver ring.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that prevents or reduces a driver ring from hanging-up or catching on the drapery rod.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that reduces the need to closely control the dimensions between the drapery rod and the driver ring.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that provides more give and forgiveness to the system.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that improves safety.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that improves convenience.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that improves the universality of the device.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that reduces false activation of the device.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved driver for a drapery system and method of use that improves repeatable activation of the device.
These and other objects, features, or advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification and claims.